Written Answers Wednesday 7 April 2010

Scottish Executive

First Minister

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what ministers of foreign governments, both national and regional, the First Minister had formal meetings with in 2009.

Fiona Hyslop: The following table lists the Ministers of foreign governments that First Minister has met in 2009:-

  

Date
Minister
Government


23 February 2009
Hillary Clinton Secretary of State
USA


9 April 2009
President Chen Haosu (Vice-Minister) Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries
China


9 April 2009
Minister Wang Yong General Administration of Quality Supervision
China


10 April 2009
Vice Minister Li HuiMinistry of Foreign Affairs
China


8 May 2009
Vice Premier Wang Qishan
China


11 June 2009
Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah Minister for International Co-operation,
Qatar


16 November 2009
Michael Boddenberg Minister for State Affairs
State of Hessen


17 November 2009
Jean-Claude Juncker Prime Minister
Luxembourg


2 December 2009
Kris Peeters Minister President
Flanders


15 December 2009
President Mohamed Nasheed
Maldives


15 December 2009
Premier Jean Charest
Quebec


15 December 2009
Premier Mike Rann
South Australia


15 December 2009
President Jose Montilla
Catalonia


15 December 2009
Premier Gordon Campbell
British Columbia


15 December 2009
Premier Greg Selinger
Manitoba


15 December 2009
Minister Kate Jones
Queensland


15 December 2009
Minister Eric Van Heijningen
South Holland


15 December 2009
Minister John Gerretsen
Ontario


15 December 2009
Minister Dr. Markus Soeder
Bavaria


15 December 2009
Governor Chris Gregorie
Washington


15 December 2009
Governor Jim Doyle
Wisconsin

General Practitioners

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much GPs are paid to monitor patients with long-term conditions such as asthma.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) within the General Medical Services contract rewards GPs for delivering Primary Care services to patients. Asthma is one in the series of clinical areas covered in the QOF and remuneration to GPs is dependent on levels of achievement against a range of criteria.

  The QOF is published as part of the Statement of Financial Entitlements and the latest version can be viewed at:

  www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/pca/PCA2009(M)15.pdf.

General Practitioners

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much GPs are paid for a patient with a long-term condition such as asthma when the patient does not participate in the annual review.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) within the General Medical Services contract rewards GPs for delivering Primary Care services to patients. Asthma is one in the series of clinical areas covered in the QOF and remuneration to GPs is dependent on levels of achievement against a range of criteria.

  As part of that criterion, GPs are eligible to receive additional funding when conducting reviews of asthmatic patients. However, in order to qualify for this type of funding, practices must review at least 40% of their asthmatic patients in a 15 month period. Where a practice fails to achieve that percentage they would not be entitled to receive funding under current QOF arrangements.

Hospitals

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS boards to ensure that free hospital car parks are used only by those with business at the hospital.

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made as to whether free hospital car parks are used by those who do not have business at the hospital and, if so, to what extent.

Nicola Sturgeon: This is for NHS boards to manage. To support them to do so, and allow examples of best practice to be shared more widely, Health Facilities Scotland has established a Travel Planning Advisory Group which is attended by one of my officials.

Law Reform

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review legislation relating to bonds of caution.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with stakeholders regarding revising legislation relating to bonds of caution.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been undertaken in the last 10 years regarding revising legislation relating to bonds of caution.

Fergus Ewing: Requirements for bonds of caution are in a number of areas of legislation including in relation to executors of estates under succession law, judicial factors and adults with incapacity.

  On executors, the Scottish Law Commission published a Report on Succession in April 2009. This recommended that: the general requirement upon an executor-dative to obtain caution before he or she may be confirmed as executor should be abolished; the court should no longer have power to order caution to be found by an executor-nominate and the court should not be given a discretionary power to order caution to be obtained by an executor. The Report and the Scottish Government’s initial response are available on the Commission website at:

  http://www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/html/reports_2000-2009.php.

  Going forward, as outlined in the answers to questions S3W-29780 on 8 December 2009 and S3O-9233 on 21 January 2010, the Scottish Government is embarking on a programme of dialogue and formal consultation on the Report on Succession, so that determination of the way forward can take account of all relevant perspectives. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  On judicial factors, the Commission is due later this year to issue a discussion paper which will invite opinions on a review of the current legislation with a view to clarifying and simplifying it. Thereafter, the Commission will consider the issues raised and in due course publish a report. The recommendations will be considered by the Scottish Government when that report is received. More information on the Commission’s work on judicial factors can be found on their website at:

  http://www.scotlawcom.gov.uk/html/cpjudfac.php.

  There are no current plans to review bonds of caution requirements in the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.

Parliamentary Questions

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S3W-31102, which received a holding reply on 10 February 2010.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31102 on 7 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx